The USS Moultrie
by CanadianChick07
Summary: When an IED explodes aboard the USS Moultrie, Special Agent Meredith Brody is the Agent Afloat aboard. Now Gibbs is helping her clean up that mess- part of the classified op that neither wanted to discuss and they are having to go all over the world to do it.


**I did post this in the NCIS section before NO was added but figured I'd add it here since it's more about Brody. I thought I'd take some creative liberties and make a story about how Gibbs and Brody met and the IED explosion when she was Agent Afloat.  
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><p><strong>Helmland Province, Afghanistan- May 2010<br>**

Special Agent Meredith Brody slumped against a wall of a 'house' in the Helmland Province of Afghanistan. She had her NCIS issued SIG still in her hand, M4 assault weapon still on her body. She stared at the ground. What the hell just happened?

"Ma'am," Staff Sergeant Jeff Farrell kneeled down beside her. "You alright?"

Brody raised her head but didn't look Farrell in the eye. "Yeah."

"Ma'am," he said again. "Helo is going to be here in less than 5. I need to know you'll be okay."

She finally looked the Staff Sergeant in the eye. "I'll be fine."

He gave her a hand up. "Ma'am, you did good in there."

Brody stood up and put her sig back in the holster. "Thanks. And stop calling me ma'am, Staff Sergeant. It's Brody."

"Yes ma'am," he smiled back at her. He gave her some of the canteen of water he had but Brody refused. "Drink up, ma'am."

Helo was getting closer and Brody couldn't be on that chopper fast enough. The men on the mission all piled into the helo to take them back to FOB Geronimo.

Major Aaron Goddard made eye contact with Brody. "Special Agent Brody, you did a damn fine good job on this op."

She smiled a weak smile. "Thanks."

"Don't sell yourself short Brody," Major Goddard said.

Not a word was said the rest of the 15 minute helo ride. Brody was just trying to block it all out. It was just such a whirlwind and she needed some time to comprehend what happened. All the training FLETC and NCIS provided, it didn't tell you how to overcome Afghanistan.

The helo landed at Geronimo and the men on the mission piled out. Except Brody. She just sat there. The pilots gave Major Goddard a look and he shared a look back and they left, leaving the Infantry Major and Brody. For a few minutes, it was just silence as Brody was leaned over, staring at the floor.

"You can't change what happened, Brody. Going over it in your head isn't going to help. You can't go back and change time."

"It was my fault. I should have known."

Major Goddard raised an eyebrow. "Mer, it wasn't. It was a terrorist attack. If you were to blame, then the whole damn Navy should be to blame as well."

"An IED exploded while I was the Agent Afloat. It's my fault."

"Brody, it's not. We caught the guys responsible. Why we just took a chopper to kill some bad guys? That's revenge. You can't take out revenge on them by beating yourself up."

Brody looked at Goddard finally. "I'm just glad I had somebody I could trust watching my back," she said, slowly climbing out of the helo.

Goddard smiled that smile that made Brody groan. That wicked smile. "Always, Special Agent Brody. Always." And when he was sure that nobody was looking, he pressed a kiss to her helmet hair. Her long hair was falling out of her bun. "You look so hot in a flack jacket, helmet and with a gun."

Brody started laughing for the first time in awhile. "You're an ass, Aaron."

He winked at her and put his arm around her shoulders. "A hot piece of ass."

"You really are 18 years old," Brody retorted but smiled back at the Major, knowing the game she was playing with him was walking on the dangerous side. Definitely on the dangerous side.

She looked up to see the person she did not want to see. Ever. The legends of him were well, legendary. "Special Agent Brody. Just the person I was looking for," Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs stood in a doorway.

And if the legends were true, probably saw the entire exchange between her and Major Goddard. "Agent Gibbs," she said. She looked at Aaron and he took his arm off her shoulders and just nodded at her and then Gibbs before walking away.

"We watched the mission. Good kill," Gibbs said.

"Infantry guys did most of the work," Brody replied.

He started walking away. "By the way, rule 12."

"What's rule 12?" Brody asked, standing in the middle of FOB Geronimo.

He turned around and laughed a little. "Never date a co-worker. See you bright and early tomorrow, Brody."

Brody just groaned as she stood there, helmet and rifle still in hand, full armour also still on. When her Special Agent in Charge out of Bahrain, Wayne Jackson, told her that Gibbs was coming to Afghanistan to help her clean up her mess she was neutral on the subject. Now, she was downright terrified.


End file.
